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By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda –

Unbeaten Naoya “Monster” Inoue (13-0, 11 KOs), 115, scored his fifth defense of his WBO 115-pound belt as he made short work of mandatory challenger Ricardo Rodriguez (16-4, 5 KOs), 114.5, knocking him out at 1:08 of the third round on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.

Inoue decked the Mexican-born US citizen with a countering left hook for the second time of the fatal round, and Rodriguez couldn’t beat the count of referee Ramon Pena from Puerto Rico. Naoya looked too strong and fast for the apparently overmatched Ricardo.

It’s a very lopsided affair, but this reporter describes the official scores before the spectacular knockout for record-keeping. Lisa Giampa, Pat Morley and Larry Hazzard Jr. (all from US) identically tallied 20-18 after the second session.

As Naoya reviewed “This was my best performance,” he looked sharp and speedy from the outset. Fleet of foot and fast of hand, Inoue began to show he was superior to Rodriguez, jabbing sharply with precision. The Mexican-born challenger who speaks Spanish more fluently than English despite his US nationality attempted to mix it up in the close range, and once forced the champ to the ropes with a flurry of punches. Averting all, Inoue quickly turned around and kept outpunching the game but limited challenger after he probably realized Ricardo’s punching power and hand speed. 

The second witnessed Naoya’s new weapon, that is, switch-hitting. He, midway in round two, switched so smoothly that we temporarily didn’t realize he switched to southpaw stance, but he had the crowd stunned with his solid and strong southpaw left that almost bucked the knee of Rodriguez twice. Inoue was like Hamed.

Inoue, with remarkable reflexes, always tries to hit without getting hit in the ring and in the gym as well, and did the same this night. He averted all punches thrown by the WBO Latino 115-pound champ with his shifty footwork and quick upper body movement.

Naoya sent him to the deck with a quick three-punch combination, the last of which was a very well-timed short left hook. Rodriguez gamely raised himself and resumed fighting. Inoue, however, exploded a Sugar Ray Robinson countering left hook against Gene Fullmer with Ricardo’s legs seemingly paralyzed against his will to stand up and fight on. The third man mercilessly tolled the fatal ten.

The winner, 24, coolly said in the ring, “People said I was a prohibitive favorite, but I was very careful about my overconfidence or carelessness. I’m happy to win as planned. Since I had my composure, I attempted switching to southpaw. I’m satisfied with solid southpaw lefts that almost stunned Rodriguez with only seventh percent of power behind the shots. Yes, my next will be in the US, which I am very much looking forward to. I wish to show my real power in the ring of the States. In the future I hope to invade in the bantam or super-bantam categories.”

The crestfallen loser Rodriguez, 27, gloomily said, “The fight was going on as our fight plan, but Inoue was a great champion with very strong counterpunch.”

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Japanese champion Naoya Inoue celebrates after defeating Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in their WBO super flyweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue knocked out Rodriguez in the third round to defend his title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

Japanese champion Naoya Inoue celebrates after defeating Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in their WBO super flyweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue knocked out Rodriguez in the third round to defend his title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

Japanese champion Naoya Inoue celebrates after knocking out challenger Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in the third round of their WBO super flyweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue defeated Rodriguez in the round to defend his title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

Japanese champion Naoya Inoue celebrates after knocking out challenger Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in the third round of their WBO super flyweight boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue defeated Rodriguez in the round to defend his title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

Japan's Naoya Inoue poses with his WBO super flyweight champion belt after defeating Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in their boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue knocked out Rodriguez in the third round to defend the title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

Japan’s Naoya Inoue poses with his WBO super flyweight champion belt after defeating Ricardo Rodriguez of the U.S. in their boxing world title match in Tokyo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. Inoue knocked out Rodriguez in the third round to defend the title. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi)

 

Credit: Additional photos / Toru Takahashi / Associated Press

Promoter: Ohashi Promotions.
WBO supervisor: Tsuyoshi Yasukochi (Japan)

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/full-report-inoue-finishes-rodoriguez-keep-wbo-115lb-belt-405132

Date:   Friday, December 30, 2016

WBO JR. BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location: Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan

Promoter:  Ohashi Promotions / Hideyuki Ohashi

Supervisor:  István Kovács

Referee: Robert Byrd

Judges:  Zoltan Enyedi, Takeshi Shimakawa, Katsuhiko Nakamura

Results: Naoya Inoue wins by KO @ 2:00 of the 6th Round

TV:

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Report, photos by Joe Koizumi

Inoue brothers will appear in the same show to fight for the WBO belts in Tokyo on December 30. It was announced by Ohashi Promotions on Wednesday. WBO junior bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue (11-0, 9 KOs), making his fourth defense, will face former WBA titlist, veteran compatriot Kohei Kono (32-9-1, 13 KOs) in a sensational matchup. His younger brother, Takuma Inoue (8-0, 2 KOs), only 20, will have an ambitious crack at the WBO bantam throne against Filipino hard-punching southpaw Marlon Tapales (29-2, 12 KOs). Also, IBF junior flyweight titleholder Akira Yaegashi (24-5, 12 KOs) will appear on the same card. An elongated southpaw, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Satoshi Shimizu (1-0, 1 KO)will fight his second pro bout on the undercard.

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www.fightnews.com/Boxing/inoue-brothers-fight-wbo-115lb-118lb-belts-359430#more-359430

 

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Report, Photos by Joe Koizumi

There was a medical exam today (Thursday) for the forthcoming WBO/IBF world title doubleheader in Tokyo, Japan. The results were as follows:

For WBO junior bantamweight (115 lb) title bout
Naoya INOUE/David CARMONA
Height: 163.7 cm (5’4.5”)/162.7 cm (5’4”)
Chest: 91 cm (35’10”)/93 cm (36’7”)
Reach: 173 cm (68’)/168 cm (66’)

For IBF junior flyweight (108 lb) title bout
Akira YAEGASHI/Martin TECUAPETLA
Height: 160.8 cm (5’3”)/162.5ccm (5’4”)
Chest: 89 cm (35’)/91 cm (35’10”)
Reach: 165 cm (65’)/168 cm (66’)

To be frank with you, this reporter really realized the size of “Monster” Inoue at today’s medical exam. Every Japanese boxing people, including former world champions and influential promoters here, admit Naoya Inoue’s extraordinary talents in hard-punching, speed on food and hand, reflexes to avert punches of his opponent, and some describe him as the best ever produced in Japan, even including Fighting Harada, Kuniaki Shibata, Yoko Gushiken, Jiro Watanabe, etc.

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Inoue, now still 23, has displayed tremendous performance in nine professional bouts and in sparring sessions (where he beat up almost every name partners including Yaegashi, Malcolm Tunacao, Yu Muranaka, other name Filipino boxers including Rocky Fuentes, Sony Boy Jaro, Rey Loreto, Giovanni Escaner, etc.). At this stage of his career we admit Naoya is superb and special enough to be called the best of the best in our Japanese boxing history.

But Inoue truly is small. He is only 5’4.5” in height and weighs only 115 pounds plus, though he usually weighs some ten pounds over the junior bantam limit. At this moment, Inoue, Japan’s Mighty Atom, may defeat Roman Gonzalez, Carlos Cuadras, and other champions un to the bantam category. But can he or will he be able to defeat Guillermo Rigondeaux, Carl Frampton and/or Leo Santa Cruz?

This reporter personally thinks it is very possible that Inoue, even now, can beat up and knock out Rigondeaux, Frampton and/or Santa Cruz. These boxers don’t master how to put the weight behind his punch, so they are all soft-punching pugilists depending only on fast combination punching, while Inoue can sink or finish his opponent with a single shot with precision.

But problem is his size. This reporter wonders whether Inoue will be able to defeat Adrian Broner even if Monster can punch much harder than Problem. Anyway, “Monster” Inoue will defend his belt against WBO top contender Carmona on Sunday and may try to demonstrate his tremendous talents against name opponents in the US, but there may be unfortunately a physical limit for Inoue to go over the wall.

This world title twinbll will be presented by Hideyuki Ohashi, former WBC/WBA world 105-pound champion and now promoter of Ohashi Promotions.

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/how-far-can-inoue-go-with-his-size-336282

Date:  Tuesday, December 30, 2014

WBO JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE 

Location:  Metropolitan Gym, Tokyo, Japan

Promoter:    OR Promotions – Osvaldo Rivero / Ohashi Promotions – Hideyuki Ohashi

Supervisor:   Jose Izquierdo II, Esq.

Referee:   Lou Moret

Judges:  Jose Roberto Torres; Ulysses Glenn; Lisa Giampa

Results:   Omar Andres Narvaez lost his WBO Junior Bantamweight Title against Naoya Inoue who defeated him with a second round KO.  

TV: